


Unnatural

by randomwriter57



Series: Magic AU [1]
Category: Free!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Splash Free, Arabian AU, M/M, Magic, Reigisa Celebration, Slow Build
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-31
Updated: 2015-07-31
Packaged: 2018-04-12 05:45:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,586
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4467623
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/randomwriter57/pseuds/randomwriter57
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rei is an Unnatural - he was born without magic. Nagisa is a travelling dancer. This is how they meet.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Unnatural

**Author's Note:**

> This is my submission for the Reigisa Celebration AU contest! I know it's an AU contest, but I decided to use my Splash Free Magic AU which I have been working on for quite some time.  
> In this AU, almost everyone in the world is born with magic. People with magic are known as 'Natural', whilst the 1% of the population known to be born without magic are known as 'Unnatural'. Rei is an Unnatural who becomes a Royal Guard at the palace in the Samezuka Kingdom, which is ruled by Rin. Nagisa is a travelling dancer.  
> The main AU is actually centred around Makoto and Haruka, but this is a side-story I wanted to write because this is the very first idea I had for this AU and I just had to write it. The main story does show some of Nagisa and Rei's relationship, but this fic shows how they meet and fall for each other.  
> If you're interested, I actually wrote another fic in this universe which is Gou-centric, set a little further into the universe, called [The Silence of Five Years](http://archiveofourown.org/works/3614274). I'd love it if you checked it out!  
> Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this fic! Please check out some of the other pieces for the Reigisa Celebration contest and make sure to vote for your favourite [here!](https://t.co/qYHJxy5edW).  
> Thanks again, and enjoy!

Name: Ryugazaki Rei. Age: 17. Status: Unnatural.

When he relays this information to Matsuoka Rin, Rei expects to be laughed at and asked to leave. Instead, the Emir raises a single groomed eyebrow.

“Unnatural, did you say?”

Rei gulps – being Unnatural is never a good thing when you’re in front of the heir to the throne. “Yes, your Highness. I have no Natural magic.” He can hear the Guards behind him muttering under their breaths. Just like everyone else does.

“And you think that you-” Rin waves a lazy hand in his direction, “-are better than the Natural candidates here today?” He says it as though it’s impossible. It almost makes Rei want to say, _Yes, I do_ , but he chooses a more educated answer.

“Of course not, your Highness, I would never think that for a second!” Rei says. He isn’t better than his fellow candidates - after all, they’re all much more suited to being in his Highness’ Royal Guard; they’re not only Naturals, but they’re also some of the richest, most experienced people in the Kingdom. Unlike him. But that’s not to say he hasn’t prepared for this. “However, I do believe I am just as good as them.”

Rin leans back in his throne and gives a sharp grin. “Prove it.”

“Thank you,” Rei says with a bow before moving into position. A Guard equipped with a staff meets him in the centre of the room. Rei idly wonders if it’s fair for his opponent to have a weapon and not him. They bow to each other before taking their stances.

They watch each other without making a move, animals waiting for their prey to flinch before striking. But Rei does not intend to strike first. After all, a true Guard does not take action until provoked.

The Guard finally cracks and moves forward, his staff ready to meet Rei. It doesn’t have the intended effect. A second before it hits him, Rei claps his hands and grasps the other end of the staff. He is a circle, energy flowing through his body. There is a flash of light, and the staff flops to the ground, as though made of rubber.

Before the Guard can make another move, Rei claps his hands together and slaps them on the ground. The Guard’s eyes widen and he stumbles back as something comes out of the ground between Rei’s hands - a metal spear, summoned from the earth. Rei grabs the spear and charges towards the Guard.

The Guard ducks out of the way of the spearhead and then slams Rei’s arm with his hand. Rei loses grip on his spear, but catches it halfway into its decline, and then twirls on his toes, slamming the pole into the back of the Guard’s legs. The Guard falls backwards and finds a sharp tip pressed close to his neck.

“In the name of the Royal Guard, I arrest you,” Rei recites from memory. After all, he has studied proper Guard etiquette for years. Part of his brain preserves this moment, the feeling of towering over someone with Natural magic.

Then the Guard smiles.

Suddenly Rei is pushed back by some unknown force, his staff gone from his hands. When he looks up he sees the Guard’s hand flicked in his direction - Wind magic. He grimaces - how could he have not seen that coming? The Guard hadn’t used magic this entire time – how could Rei have been so naive?

The Guard makes his way over with the spear and points it at Rei, their positions flipped in a matter of seconds. “I think you’re the one being arrested today.” When Rei doesn’t reply, he puts the spear in one hand and extends the other to Rei. “You’re good, for an Unnatural.”

Rei blinks then takes the hand. “Thanks.”

Rei has almost forgotten that this is an audition until Rin speaks up. “Thank you, Sera, you can go now.”

The Guard – Sera - bows to Rin, then nods to Rei before leaving.

Rei turns back to Rin.

“What was that?” Rin asks, and God forbid Rei for thinking this, but he actually looks confused. His eyebrows are squished together, his lips parted. “That magic.”

“Alchemy, sire. I have studied it since I was a child.” Since people bullied him for being Unnatural. Since he saw his father’s disappointed face at the results of his magic test from the Healer. Since he was first told that he was worthless. Since he was born with no magic.

“Alchemy.” Rin runs the word through his mouth as though it is an exotic food, tasting it with hesitance.

“It’s scientific magic, your Highness. It requires years of research and practice, as well as knowledge of how different chemicals affect the spell and the alchemical laws, such as-”

“Alright, I didn’t ask for a definition, ” Rin says, hands lifted in a surrender position.

Rei closes his mouth, feeling the colour rise to his cheeks. “I- I sincerely apologise, your Highness.”

Rin waves him off before humming. He crosses his legs, bringing attention to his ankle bracelets. “I’ve never had an Unnatural audition before, never mind one who can do magic. It’s unheard of.” He laughs at the end, as though the idea of people without magic finding ways to create their own is absurd. “Intriguing.”

He waves a hand to a grey-haired servant, who passes him some papers with a shaking hand. Rin shuffles absently through them. “Full marks in your theoretical test, excellent recommendations from your teachers - who would have known you were Unnatural.”

Rei flinches and bows his head. Seeing Rin agree with the idea that people without magic are useless, even after seeing what he can do, makes him feel unaccomplished. He needs to work harder.

“I wouldn’t usually accept you,” Rin says, and Rei looks up again. Wouldn’t usually? “But after what you’ve shown me today, I can hardly reject you. Congratulations, Ryugazaki Rei. Welcome to the Royal Guard.”

Rei can’t help how his mouth falls open at the words. He gazes at Rin for a few seconds before regaining control of his muscles and bowing. He thanks Rin before leaving with hurried footsteps.

In his wake, Rin grins, hands pressed together to create an arch.

 

* * *

 

The training of the Guards is brutal and begins the very next day.

“Welcome, new recruits! I hope you’re all well-rested, because you’ll need some energy for today’s drills.” The flame-haired Captain of the Guard grins. He stands next to the Guard from yesterday – Sera. Apparently the Captain likes to lead the first training session of new recruits before leaving it to people like Sera, who usually teach them. “We’ll start with sparring practice - and no magic! I know you don’t like being reduced to an Unnatural’s position, but you’re going to get your asses kicked if you can’t even protect yourself with a sword.”

Rei feels a familiar stab from the statement, but ignores it.

“You’ll be working in pairs, obviously, so go grab a staff and start practising together.”

The trainees meander over to the equipment case and take their staffs, chatting between themselves as they do. They ignore Rei, except for when they move in front of him so he can’t reach forward for a staff. It takes longer than he expects for him to finally get one, and then he is called over by Sera.

“Hey.” Sera smiles, looking much more at ease than he did yesterday, when he was all fired up from their spar. He’s holding a staff too. “Want to spar with me?”

Rei nods, glad that he doesn’t need to ask one of his fellow trainees, and they move into a clear area and into position.

Today their fight is less heated, probably because they can’t use magic, but it’s obvious that Sera is the better fighter. Whilst Rei has memorised the theories of hand-on-hand combat, he cannot seem to put those theories into practice.

“Loosen your shoulders a bit,” Sera says as he blocks another attack. “Try not to focus on getting it perfect - think about what your opponent will do next.”

“Okay,” Rei says. But every time he tries, he ends up focusing too much on one thing and forgetting something else. He loses every time, but somehow, he isn’t too worried about it.

When they finally get a break later, the two of them sit together in the shade, drinking water from small canteens.

“So, have you heard about the ceremony next week?” Sera asks, wiping some escaped water from his chin.

“Ceremony?” Rei hasn’t heard about it.

“Rin’s official coronation ceremony, of course! Our Emir, Matsuoka Rin, will finally be crowned after his father’s assassination.”

Rei thinks he’s maybe heard it mentioned, but he hadn’t realised it was so soon. “I hadn’t heard about it.”

“How can you not have heard?” Sera says with a laugh. “Some of the Guards will be there, but only if they’re on duty. It’s the one time I actually want to be working! Although,” Sera lowers his voice and leans forward, making Rei do the same to catch his words. “There’s a dance troupe who perform at royal events, and they’re certain to provide entertainment in private afterwards, if you know what I’m saying.”

Rei blushes a little at the insinuation. He has always hated that part of Guard culture. “That sounds nice, but it’s unlikely I’ll be on duty, and I don’t really care for – er – _private_ entertainment.”

“You never know, something completely unexpected might happen and you could be the guest of honour,” Sera says. That surely won’t ever happen, but Rei nods and plays along, as though there’s even the slightest chance of his attendance to such an event.

Not that he’d mind being there, of course.

 

* * *

 

 

As it turns out, everyone starts talking about the coronation not long after Sera tells him about it. Or maybe Rei hadn’t heard their conversations clearly enough to know that that’s what they were talking about until now. In any case, he sees a lot of excited Guards telling their friends that they’re working during the ceremony and will be on Guard in the ballroom itself. Even when he’s walking around the castle, he sees servants rushing decorations around of creating delicious smells in the royal kitchens. This coronation must be the most important event in the Kingdom at the moment. Then with a twinge of sadness, Rei remembers that he is not invited, and he moves on.

The day before the ceremony, Rei draws himself a bath and watches the water level carefully until it is at a point where it is enough to cover him but not too much to leave him without a water ration for the rest of the week. He does not relax in the bath - rather, he cleans himself thoroughly then gets out again, making sure to dry himself properly and to dispose of the water outside. Donning a robe, he sits on his bed and picks up his most recent book, turns it to the latest chapter.

And then there’s a knock at the door.

Rei grumbles under his breath as he puts his book back down, stands up, makes sure he’s sufficiently covered, and then opens the door. The servant from his audition looks up at him through doe-like eyes.

“A m-message for Ryugazaki Rei!”

“Who from?” Rei asks as he takes the scroll. It is sealed with an official wax seal, embossed with the Royal crest of the Matsuoka family – a shark and two katanas.

“His Royal Highness Matsuoka Rin, Emir and heir to the throne of the Samezuka Kingdom, sir!” He somehow doesn’t trip up on a single word in the title.

“His Highness?” Rei raises an eyebrow. He wonders why Rin could possibly be messaging him - unless he has decided to unemploy him. That would be a tragedy indeed.

“Yes, sir.”

Rei gives the servant a small smile. “Thank you.”

The servant bows and scurries away.

After ducking back into his room, Rei opens the scroll and skims through the message:

_Ryugazaki Rei,_

_You have been summoned to the castle throne room. Please arrive promptly._

_Sincerely,  
_ _His Royal Highness Matsuoka Rin, Emir of the Samezuka Kingdom._

The message tells him nothing of why he is being summoned. He pushes the thought aside – he’ll surely find out when he gets to the throne room.

Rei takes it as an immediate summons and quickly puts on his uniform before leaving for the throne room. The throne room is several floors upstairs, as it is the royal family’s main quarters and the place where Rin will later be crowned. This means, of course, that Rei has to jog up several flights of stairs to reach the throne room, by which point he is a little out of breath, even after all of his stamina training. He composes himself, adjusts his uniform, then knocks thrice on the door in equal intervals.

“Come in!” a voice calls from inside.

He takes a deep breath. Whatever happens, he will not allow himself to lose composure. He is strong. He is capable. He will not be pushed down after only a few days. He opens the door.

“Ah, Ryugazaki Rei. It’s good to see you.” Matsuoka Rin leans casually in his throne, holding a golden goblet near his face. He is grinning.

Rei waits until he gets to the centre of the room before speaking. “To what can I owe this pleasure, your Highness?” He accompanies his words with a customary bow.

“You may rise,” Rin says, then takes a sip of his drink. “I have called you here to make a request of you.”

“A request, your Highness?” It is not what Rei had expected to hear, but it’s a relief to find that he is not being unemployed so soon.

He could be imagining things, but Rei swears Rin’s grin becomes a little more sinister in that moment. “Yes, Rei, a request.”

Rei wonders if Rin calls all of his Guard by their first names. It’s quite unsettling.

“You see, we have some special guests to the coronation who will be arriving this evening,” Rin says. “You’ve heard about the coronation, right?”

“Of course, your Highness.”

“Good. Well, they don’t all have a Guard to accompany them during their stay yet. As many Guards as we have, most are in battle in the Kaijou Kingdom, and many of the others will be on duty tomorrow. This is where you come in. I would like you to accompany a particular guest of tomorrow’s celebrations.”

It occurs to Rei that this is his first real mission as a member of the Guard. A spark runs through him.

“This guest will be staying in the palace for a few weeks, as he is currently considering a job offer within the palace. Therefore you must escort him at least until his decision is made, if not for a while after that.”

Rei wonders if this will take time out of his training - he hopes not.

“Will you accept your job?” Rin looks as though he knows that Rei will answer yes. Rei has a suspicion that even if he answers no, he will end up accompanying this guest. Not that he would refuse the job in the first place.

“I accept.”

Rin practically beams, in a snake-like way. “Good. His name is Hazuki Nagisa. He is a member of a dancing troupe who often perform here, and is considering leaving his troupe to become our palace dancer.”

Rei realises then that this person is a member of the troupe Sera talked about last night. _“They’re certain to provide entertainment in private afterwards.”_ He wonders if Hazuki Nagisa is often sought after in such a way, if he accepts these advances. He must be young, to be a dancer – after all, most people prefer young boys if their dancers must be male - but to have such a reputation?

“You will meet him outside the palace upon his arrival, which is due in one hour. Tomorrow night, you will accompany him to the events hall and stay by his side at all times, except for during his performance. You must make sure no harm comes to him. Understand?” Rin’s tone of voice is almost that of a big brother warning off boys seeking his little sister’s advances.

“Yes, your Highness,” Rei says.

“Good. Now go, I understand you must have preparations to attend to.”

“Yes. Thank you, your Highness. I will do my utmost to fulfil your request to the highest standard.” He bows before exiting the throne room, leaving Rin’s eyes to bore into the dark wood of the doors.

Rin smirks.

 

* * *

 

 

Hazuki Nagisa is not how Rei expected him to be. Covered with a full-length travelling cloak, it is difficult to see how he looks at all, but the structure in his face tells Rei that this boy isn’t as young as most male dancers. For a moment he wonders how long Nagisa has been doing this for – his movements as he gets out of the carriage are choreographed, years of muscle memory built into a smooth dismount. Even the way his arms gravitate to his cloak is graceful. But he moves quickly. When he walks, it is with a spring in his step – he may be a dancer, but that hasn’t dredged him of all personality.

The dancer looks confused when Rei holds out a hand to him and bows his head in greeting.

“Good evening, Hazuki-san.” Rei puts on his most formal accent, trying to hide his low class. “I am Ryugazaki Rei, and I will be accompanying you during your visit. It is an honour to make your acquaintance.”

Nagisa tentatively puts his hand into Rei’s. “Thank you. It’s good to meet you too.” His voice is calm, measured, but withdrawn. That is, until Rei draws himself up to his full height again. “Wow, you’re tall!”

Rei blinks. “I- Yes, I am aware of that.” He is taller than many of the people from his village, but most of his fellow trainees are his height or taller. Perhaps Nagisa has never had a guard as tall as him before.

“Well yeah, but-” Nagisa is interrupted by a cough from behind him - a slightly taller girl with brown hair and a pinched expression. She taps her foot a few times. Nagisa glares at her.

“Would you like me to escort you to your room, Hazuki-san?” Rei says before an argument can break out.

Nagisa opens his mouth to say something, then nods instead, keeping his eyes down, and they start walking together into the palace.

Nagisa is silent for the entire walk, which somehow strikes Rei as uncharacteristic – the girl must have put him in a bad mood. Not wanting to pry where he is not involved, Rei doesn’t ask about it. Instead, he lets Nagisa stew in silence until they reach the guest room where he will stay for the duration of his visit.

“I will meet you here in the morning to escort you to breakfast,” Rei says. After all, it is his duty to escort Nagisa at all times. “If you require my assistance, do not hesitate to call for me. I’m sure any passing servant would gladly pass on a message.”

Nagisa nods, then says, “Thank you. Sorry for being so moody – my sister just really annoys me sometimes.”

At the same time as Rei realises Nagisa’s dance troupe is a family group, he begins to wonder if Nagisa even wanted to become a dancer in the first place. No wonder he is looking for a job in the palace.

“It’s quite alright,” Rei says with a smile that he hopes looks reassuring. He cannot emphasise with how Nagisa must feel – after all, his brother was responsible and never teased him in their childhood, despite what Rei was going through. But he hopes Nagisa can find solace somehow. “Good night, Hazuki-san.”

Nagisa bids him goodnight, and they part ways until the morning.

 

* * *

 

 

Rei is glad a buffet has been prepared for breakfast, because Nagisa eats a lot. He is by no means criticising any eating habits – a boy as small as him probably needs a lot of vitamins to ease his metabolism – but Nagisa eats a lot.

At least this morning he seems more cheerful. He greeted Rei with a beaming smile when they met up (although he yawned multiple times during the short conversation they’d had at the time), and he doesn’t seem at all bothered to be in public with messed-up hair and ordinary civilian clothing. Perhaps the thought of food had quenched his irritation.

Or maybe it’s because his sister hasn’t made it to the breakfast table yet. Either way, it makes Rei happy to see the boy enjoying himself. It suits him more this way; after all, no one ever draws the sun with a frown.

Once Nagisa has finished his feast (as compared to Rei’s bread-and-butter staple), Rei escorts him to the library, where he is free to wander and read until Rei is done with his training for the day. Of course, he is allowed to go elsewhere within the palace, as Rei tells him, but he must be careful and not leave at any point.

Nagisa calls him a bore, but only jokingly, and they part on good terms.

By the time Rei has finished his training, there are only a few hours until the evening’s ceremony. He has allocated an hour at most that he can spend with Nagisa – if of course, Nagisa so wishes it. After that, they will both need to get ready, which could take a while.

Rei returns to the library, where he finds Nagisa curled up on a cushion, flipping through a large book with a fraying spine. He looks up when Rei enters and smiles.

“Hi! You’re done with your Guard stuff?”

“I am,” Rei says, sitting down on a cushion nearby. “What are you reading?”

Nagisa blushes and looks down, his bare toes curling into the cushion. “I don’t know. I can’t read.”

Oh. Rei forgot that most civilians can’t read – mainly educated people (such as himself) could read, since the working class didn’t need to be literate to get jobs done.

“I’m looking at the pictures,” Nagisa confesses. He holds the corner of a page gently between two fingers. “I kind of get what the book’s about if I can see the pictures.”

“That makes sense,” Rei says quietly. He remembers looking through books with pictures when he was younger, tracing over the symbols below them and wishing he knew what they meant. Not all people have the privilege of literacy.

They are quiet for a moment before Nagisa changes the subject.

“Are you a new Guard?”

“I am. Why do you ask?”

“I haven’t seen you around before. I’ve been to the palace a lot, so I know the people here pretty well. What was your audition like? Was it scary?”

Rei raises an eyebrow. Is Nagisa interested in becoming a Guard, or is he just curious? “Not particularly.”

“What did you do?”

“I created a spear and battled the other Guard using it.”

“Created?” Nagisa’s eyes are wide - he almost looks like a child seeing magic for the first time. “So do you have earth magic, then? Or was it made of fire?”

“Er, no.” Rei knows he has nothing to be ashamed of, but he feels somewhat awkward when he tells Nagisa, “I have no Natural magic.”

Nagisa is silent for a second, then he cocks his head to the side. “Then how did you do it? Make a staff out of thin air?”

“I used alchemy. It’s scientific magic which uses formulae and chemicals to harness the powers of creation and destruction.”

“Alchemy?” The way Nagisa says the word is different from how Rin said it - he says the word without thinking, just repeating how Rei said it and making it sound like a question, not dissecting or exploring it. “That sounds hard.”

“It is. It requires years of research and training. Most Natural people don’t bother with it, because they’ve already got magic of their own, but I personally find it to be a truly beautiful form of magic which can be accessed by anyone.” And it was the only way he could have magic and try to stop people from bullying him about being Unnatural as a child. Too bad it didn’t work.

“Can you show me some?” Nagisa sounds excited now - more emoted and lively than he has been ever since he stepped out of the carriage at the palace.

Rei debates it for a second - is it really necessary? - but then he decides that there is no harm in showing him a little trick. He stands and takes a piece of parchment from a nearby desk, then he puts it on the floor between the two cushions. He kneels before it. “Watch.” He claps his hands together and places them on the floor on either side of the scroll, focusing his energy on making a circle.

A flash of light, and then an origami lotus flower sits in the parchment’s place. He picks it up and hands it to Nagisa. “For you.”

Nagisa looks up at him with his mouth agape, blinks, then looks down at the paper lotus. “That is amazing!” He takes the lotus and runs it through his hands, examining it. “You made this in no seconds at all! How is this possible?”

“Magic,” Rei says, smiling. This reminds him of his parents’ reactions to his alchemy when he first learned it. They were amazed – someone born without Natural magic was suddenly creating things seemingly out of nothing. It was a sight to behold.

Nagisa looks up at him again and beams. Rei feels something within him twang at the sight, but he ignores it for now. “Thank you for showing me this, Rei-chan!”

“R-Rei-chan?!” Rei says, stricken. Someone who he has only just met is already calling him by such an informal nickname?!

“Yeah! I hope you don’t mind me calling you that.” Nagisa winks, mischievous, then stands. “We need to get ready for the coronation.”

Rei sets aside his mild irritation at the nickname and also stands. “Yes, we do. Shall we get going?”

“Okay!”

 

* * *

 

 

The throne room is packed with spectators, all sitting on red-cushioned chairs, waiting for the event to begin. They chat between themselves, not sparing a glance as Rei and Nagisa take seats near the rest of the dancing troupe.

Rei’s glance is more directed towards Nagisa. It’s odd to see him without civilian clothes on. Tonight he wears dancer’s clothes - blue puffy trousers covered at the waist with a couple of colourful, beaded scarves, and a red waistcoat with a silk trim at the bottom. It reveals his torso, made up of curved lines forming small but firm muscles, a lean body meant to entice whilst still retaining its masculinity. The jewellery around his neck and wrists glints in the light of the room and a green headdress covers most of his curly hair.

Unfortunately, Nagisa ends up sitting next to his sister, who frowns at him. “What took you so long? You were almost late.”

“But we weren’t late, so it doesn’t matter,” Nagisa says, keeping his eyes forward. A few palace officials are carrying a covered case onto the platform in front of the empty throne. There’s no sign of the to-be Sultan yet.

“Nagisa!” his sister says, but she is ignored in favour of movement at the front of the hall.

“Welcome, everyone!” Their attention is drawn to the front – a man with styled blond hair stands at the front of the room. He must be the official heading the ceremony. “I trust you all arrived safely and comfortably. As you know, we are all here tonight to celebrate a momentous occasion for our Kingdom. Only two months ago, our previous Sultan, Matsuoka Toraichi, was assassinated in a brutal attack from an unknown criminal. Our Kingdom has since been left in the capable hands of the Council, until our heir came of age so he could take the throne. Tonight, we will see that candidate be crowned. Everyone please stand in honour of His Royal Highness, Matsuoka Rin!”

Chairs scrape back as everyone stands, clapping politely as the almost-Sultan stalks up the aisle between the seats. He does not acknowledge his guests until he reaches the platform, whereupon he turns to face them.

“Good evening.” When speaking to his subjects, Rin’s voice sounds grander, more like a Sultan’s, less informal. “Thank you all for attending tonight. I am glad that there is still support for my family after the tragedy of my father’s death two months ago. I am aware that many thought of him as a tyrant, yet I disagree. Matsuoka Toraichi was a rebel, and his work has made our Kingdom as strong as it is today.”

The crowd applauds politely. In the upper classes, this is how the previous Sultan was seen. Rei cannot bring himself to agree with them. Not when he endorsed child slavery and turned a blind eye to poverty.

“I am honoured to take his place upon the throne, and will ensure that I make this Kingdom even better than before. I will uphold the standard of my father’s rule, and hope that you will continue to support me throughout this.”

The crowd applauds again, this time as Rin turns to the blond official and kneels on one knee. The official takes out a sword.

“Do you, Matsuoka Rin, swear to lead this country to ultimate success?”

“I do.”

“And do you swear to bring liberty and honour to all of your subjects?”

“I do.”

“And do you swear never to betray or advocate betrayal of the Samezuka Kingdom?”

“I do.”

The official taps each of Rin’s shoulders with the flat edge of the sword. “I now pronounce you the Sultan of the Samezuka Kingdom, successor of the great Matsuoka Toraichi.” The official sheathes the sword before uncovering the case from before, revealing the official headwear of the Sultan – a feathered hat covered in beads. He carefully picks up the headdress and places it on Rin’s hair.

Once the official has stood back, Rin stands and turns back to the crowd, who all stand as one. As part of tradition, the crowd as well as the officials and guards present all kneel for their Sultan.

As one, they murmur: “Long live Sultan Rin, may he reign well.”

“You may rise,” Rin says. “I thank you all. You are now invited to come into the ballroom next door for a banquet and some entertainment.” It’s an unnecessary request – every guest will go to the ballroom. To not attend is absurd, especially when free food and drink is on offer.

The guests applaud once more as the Sultan and his officials sweep back out of the room, presumably to enter the ballroom first. Then the on-duty Guards begin to coax everyone towards the ballroom.

Rei stands and offers an arm to Nagisa. “Shall we, Hazuki-san?”

Nagisa takes his arm with a gracious smile, and then as they walk, says, “You can call me by my first name, you know.”

“We are hardly close enough to be on a first-name basis, Hazuki-san. We met not even a day ago.” Besides, Rei is too polite to use anything other than honorific language until at least a week after he has gotten close to someone, if not longer.

“Aw come on, I call you Rei-chan, don’t I?” Nagisa says with a laugh.

 _‘I never asked you to call me that,’_ Rei thinks, but instead replies with a hum.

A few moments later they enter the ballroom, which is decked out in crimson and gold. The other guests are already mulling around, holding wine glasses and making small talk. On their way in, a servant offers them a tray of drinks. Nagisa takes one. Rei does not.

“Are you not thirsty?” Nagisa asks.

“Alcohol does nothing to quench thirst,” Rei says. “Especially not in a desert.”

“A little drink won’t hurt you, you know,” Nagisa says behind a sip of wine. He makes a face at the taste, but continues to drink anyway.

“I know. I just don’t want any.”

“Okay.”

They make their way over to a table. Rei, always a gentleman, pulls out a chair for Nagisa before taking his own. The table holds only plates and cutlery at the moment – food will be brought out by the servants soon.

“I can’t wait to see what the food will be like!” Nagisa says, eyes shining. “Aren’t you excited, Rei-chan?”

“I am most certainly looking forward to the food,” Rei says. The royal kitchens are renowned for their expert culinary skills and delicious food. Unfortunately Guards are only allowed just above the average amount of basic rations, and so have very similar food to that which everyday civilians are allowed. Only the rich and the royal are allowed food from the royal kitchens (although the cooks and other servants are surely allowed some of the leftovers).

Right on time, the servants flow into the room, arms full of multiple plates of various foods. There must be over a hundred servants, each carrying three or four plates, which are carefully placed in the centre of the tables. The grey-haired servant from earlier places a few plates in front of Rei and Nagisa before scurrying off, possibly to get more plates to serve.

Nagisa, of course, jumps right in to his meal, picking food from the bowls in front of him and stuffing it into his mouth before it even meets the plate. “Delicious!” he exclaims through a mouthful of potatoes.

Rei, on the other hand, takes smaller, daintier bites. He does agree with Nagisa, though – the food is delicious, well deserving of its reputation.

The talking during each course of the meal is reserved, as most guests are too busy eating to talk, but laughter and amicable chatter fills the room, especially after a few glasses of wine. By the time the final course arrives, the room is louder than ever.

After dessert, the guests remain at their seats whilst the dancers, Nagisa included, begin to stand so they can prepare for their performance. Rei wonders if Nagisa will be okay dancing after all of the food and wine he has consumed.

“I’ll be back soon, Rei-chan! Enjoy the performance.” He grins and leaves with the others.

Rei is barely alone for a minute before someone sits beside him. “Enjoying yourself, Ryugazaki?” Sera sits beside him, cheeks rosy from one glass too many. “Turns out I’m on duty tonight too.”

“Are you an escort as well?” Rei asks.

“No, just one of the usual Guards.” Sera probably shouldn’t be drinking when he’s on duty, but Rei doesn’t point this out. “Who was that sitting with you just before?”

“Hazuki Nagisa. I’m his escort whilst he stays in the palace,” Rei says. “He’s one of the dancers.”

“I see!” Sera sighs. “I’m glad for you. You seem to be pretty close already.”

“I suppose so,” Rei says, thinking back to the nickname.

“I’d better head back, I just wanted to check in on you,” Sera says. “I know it’s been a bit rough on you recently, but I’m sure things will turn out alright.” He smiles, then leaves Rei to mull over his words, wondering why Sera feels the need to console him in such a way.

He doesn’t get much of a chance to think, however. A moment later there is applause as the dancers make their way onto the ballroom’s dance floor. Rin leans forward from his seat at the head table.

The dancers get into position. Look at each other. Nod. The music starts to play.

The dance begins slowly, arms reaching upwards in arcs as the music slowly fades in. They snake upwards, then sharply turn, drifting to the right. Each dancer leans over towards their arm, reaching out, yearning to touch whatever is in the invisible distance. Then they retract. They turn away, knowing they’ll never reach it.

Rei’s eyes have glanced over the other dancers, but they keep being drawn to one in particular; Nagisa, who has changed completely from his usual peppy self into a more reserved, mournful person who dances for sorrow. Nagisa, who moves with such expression that Rei’s breath has been taken away. Nagisa, who seems to glow in the dim atmosphere, light covering his arms, his face, his chest. It must be a trick of the light, but he honestly looks like a star, or the sun itself. His skin glows, illuminating his movements.

Suddenly, the music picks up and becomes more cheerful. The dancers move more quickly, weaving in and out of each other, twirling their hands and making intricate movements with their feet. They smile, laugh, glow even more brightly than before. Nagisa shines, a beacon on the dance floor, his own personal spotlight.

The dance ends before Rei fully realises it, and he is a beat late in applauding along with the other guests. The dancers bow, sweat shining on their foreheads.

Nagisa bounces over to Rei, beaming. “What did you think, Rei-chan?”

He looks so happy, danced so beautifully, that Rei decides that for once, it doesn’t matter that they’ve not long since met. He feels so much closer to Nagisa now than he has with most other people during his life, and he wants to show Nagisa that, even if it’s in a small way.

“That was beautiful,” Rei says before adding, “Nagisa-kun.”

Nagisa blinks, then his eyes widen, and so does his smile. He pounces forward and hugs Rei. “Rei-chan!!”

Rei is startled. He was not prepared for physical contact, and so freezes up when he is hugged, but Nagisa doesn’t seem to notice.

“Thank you, Rei-chan…!” Nagisa says, his voice wobbling, but happy.

Rei smiles softly. “It’s okay, Nagisa-kun.”

 

* * *

 

 

Rei is in training right now.

For some reason today, the atmosphere is colder. Rei wonders if the seasons are changing more quickly than he’d realised. Then he realises that it’s because he’s being glared at. His fellow Guards have been cold to him before, but never have they glared so openly at him.

“Alright everyone, take a five minute break, then we’ll do some defensive drills,” Sera, who now runs the training sessions, says.

Rei takes his usual seat in the shade and takes a long sip from his canteen. When he looks up, three figures stand tall above him.

“Ah, sorry,” Rei says, putting down his canteen. “How can I help you?”

“We know what you are,” a figure says, glaring. So these are the Guards who were glaring at him before…

“I’m sorry?”

“You don’t deserve to be here,” another says with a sneer.

Rei raises an eyebrow. “Sultan Rin didn’t seem to think that, did he? Anyway, I haven’t the faintest idea what you are talking about.”

“You’re one of _them_ ,” the first one says.

“An _Unnatural_ ,” the second spits, as though the word is dirt, and so is Rei.

Rei isn’t sure why this is being brought up now, of all times. Wasn’t that obvious from the beginning? “You’re correct. How does that determine my right to be here?”

“Because Unnaturals aren’t supposed to be in the Royal Guard,” the third says. “They shouldn’t be anywhere near the Sultan!”

“The only place for Unnaturals is the gutter!” the second says.

Ah, so they’re bigots. Just like many upper class people. “I see. And what does that say about all of the ‘Unnatural’ doctors?” Rei asks. “Teachers. Architects. _Guards_.”

“You’re the first and the last Unnatural who will ever set foot in this palace!”

“Not if I can help it,” Rei says simply. He doesn’t have time for this nonsense.

The second Guard, however, is riled up. “Why, you little—!”

“Excuse me!” From behind the Guards, a familiar voice rings out. “What are you doing?”

The Guards turn around, parting enough so that Rei can see who’s behind them - Nagisa. He wears an innocent smile, hands behind his back, an open gesture. Rei’s heart stops at the sight. Nagisa is so small, and the Guards so big – he can’t help but worry that they will try to hurt him – not that he would ever let them, of course.

“We’re putting this guy in his place,” the first Guard says.

“Ah, I see!” Nagisa smiles and puts his hands together. “Can I join in?”

This perplexes both the Guards and Rei - _what is he doing?_ \- but the Guards let Nagisa past so he stands in front of Rei, looking down at him with a serious expression. Somehow, Rei starts to feel nervous.

“Rei-chan,” Nagisa says, “is amazing. He wasn’t born with magic, but he spent years learning a magic of his own, which is awesome. He is compassionate and strict, making sure everyone follows the rules whilst still caring about others. He completely deserves his place here.” Nagisa smiles softly at Rei, then turns back to the Guards. “Unlike those who ridicule and bully people for things they can’t easily change! What makes you think that’s just? Is that really worthy of the Sultan’s Royal Guard? I don’t think so - and I know Rin-chan. He wouldn’t stand for this.”

Too scared to stand up against someone with such close links to the Sultan, the Guards scuttle away, muttering under their breaths.

Rei’s mouth is agape. _‘No, Nagisa, you’re the amazing one.’_

“Are you okay?” Nagisa says, sitting down in front of Rei with his legs crossed. “Does this happen a lot?”

“I’m fine. This is the first time the Guards have actually confronted me about it, but it’s happened before back home.” Rei smiles at Nagisa, trying to tell him without words not to worry. “It happens a lot. I’m used to it.”

“You shouldn’t need to be used to it!” Nagisa says, frowning. He looks down. “I’ve never understood why people always treat those born without magic as inferior. How different are we, really?”

Rei blinks. He’s never seen Nagisa so impassioned before. “Nagisa-kun, do you—”

“Alright, soldiers! Back to work!”

Nagisa stands, brushing off the dust from his trousers. “I’ll see you later, Rei-chan!”

“Bye,” Rei says. Nagisa walks back down the pathway, towards one of the palace doors.

Why did Nagisa seem so passionate about something like that? Had he had a friend without magic before? A family member? Rei has no idea, but for now, he leaves the thought in the back of his mind whilst he re-joins practice. There’s no use dwelling on it for now.

 

* * *

 

 

Over the next few weeks during Nagisa’s stay at the palace, he and Rei grow a close bond. They have their arguments, but mostly they get along well, talking about everything and sticking together during their free time. They mostly stay in the library, Rei studying and Nagisa asking questions whenever they pop into mind. Every morning Rei meets Nagisa at his room so they can go for breakfast together, and every night Rei accompanies Nagisa to his guest bedroom before returning to the soldiers’ dormitories. Their relationship has blossomed into what Rei calls a beautiful friendship.

However, there is one topic in conversation which Nagisa does his best to avoid at all costs – his past. Perhaps he had a bad family life as a child, but Nagisa hates talking about his family, or what he went through before they met.  Part of Rei can’t help but think that he has something to hide.

Or perhaps he’s just uncomfortable with the subject. In either case, Rei decides not to push it. He doesn’t want to make Nagisa feel uncomfortable, especially not after they’ve grown so close. For him, speaking about issues is the best way to solve them, but he will not make Nagisa talk about them if he doesn’t want to.

Besides, there’s never been an opportunity to bring the topic up. Nagisa is always the one asking questions, so Rei never gets a chance to ask Nagisa about himself. It’s almost as though Nagisa is trying to make sure Rei can’t ask about his past – or maybe Rei is overthinking things, as he has a tendency to do. But Rei doesn’t ask about it, so the subject is avoided. That is, until tonight.

Nagisa seems more reserved than usual tonight, but Rei doesn’t ask what is wrong. He only tries to make Nagisa feel as comfortable as possible so he can feel better.

Then Nagisa speaks up.

“Hey, Rei-chan, can I ask you a question?”

Rei turns in his seat to look at Nagisa. He isn’t wearing his usual curious expression - head cocked slightly to the side, mouth a little open, eyes wide. Today, he wears furrowed brows and an alert gaze. “Of course, Nagisa-kun. What is it?”

“Why are people without Natural magic seen as less than people with Natural magic?”

Rei’s eyes widen. This is completely different from the questions he’s been asked before; Nagisa’s questions have always been quite general, and Rei has always done some research on the topics. This time, Rei knows from experience. “Well, it’s supposed to be because we don’t have the same special abilities. We are seen to be less useful, especially since we can’t get jobs done as quickly as people with Natural magic, who can use it to help them work. We can’t do that - we have to use our manual efforts. We fight with sticks and stones, they fight with elements. We don’t have the privilege of magic, so why should we be allowed the jobs that Naturals need and can do much more easily?”

“But you are capable!” Nagisa cries out in a sudden burst. His eyes shine with emotion. “You can do the same jobs - maybe not as quickly, but definitely with more care and thought!”

“I know, Nagisa-kun. But most people don’t understand that.” Rei’s muscles freeze, except for one hand, which lifts a little. He can’t fathom at all why this is being brought up, or why Nagisa is so emotional about it.

Nagisa looks down, frowning. He looks hurt, helpless and angry, wanting to make a stand but having no way to do so. There is a flutter in Rei’s stomach. He needs to comfort him, but he doesn’t know how. He’s never been good with people - how is he supposed to do this?

He starts by getting up and sitting on the floor across from Nagisa in his preferred corner – maybe close contact will help. He decides that speaking is most likely to help Nagisa, so he asks in a low voice, “Why are you asking, Nagisa-kun? If you don’t mind me asking.”

Nagisa looks up at him, then down again as he starts to speak.

“When I was a kid, I watched my three sisters grow up and find out their amazing powers - Fire and Wind, the same as our parents. I was already unpopular at school because I came from a rich family, but when I was late in showing signs of having magical ability, they started picking on me even more.” He looks up, eyes swimming with emotion. “They called me Unnatural, even though I’d been seen by a Healer who told me I have Natural magic. I tried to tell them, but they wouldn’t listen.”

Rei remembers his trip to the local Healer. He was ten, very late in showing signs of having magic. His parents were concerned, so they took him to a Healer, who examined him fully. They were devastated when the results came through.

“I was pretty depressed, by then,” Nagisa continues, looking down at his clenched fists. “They’d pick on me all the time at school, and my sisters teased me when I got home. There was nowhere to get away from it. I thought it would never end - that maybe the Healer was wrong, that I really was Unnatural and they hadn’t examined me fully.

“But then one night I came home and went straight to my room. It was winter, so it was pretty dark already, and I just lay in bed and wept. It had been a rough day. And that’s when it happened. I felt really warm, right here.” He puts a hand on his chest. “And I saw something flickering through my eyelids, so I opened my eyes. There was light all around me; soft, yellow light, glowing in balls in the air, surrounding my entire body. It wasn’t the sun, or the stars, or the candles. It was my light.”

Rei now understands why Nagisa was glowing when he danced on the night of the ceremony. It was his magic shining through, and Rei couldn’t tell because he hadn’t seen that type of magic before. _Light magic._

“I was so happy, I could have cried. The next day I told my parents - they were so proud of me, they couldn’t believe it until I went into a dark closet and tried to make my light appear again. It’s so difficult to see when it’s bright out, so I hadn’t noticed it before. The bullying died down once everyone found out - some people congratulated me. I felt like a king.”

Rei smiles, the tension leaking out of his muscles. Nagisa got through his hardships and came out on top too. He can understand how happy he must have felt - showing his classmates his power, seeing the looks of awe on their faces. He got that from a few of his classmates too, when he showed them his alchemy.

“But I still wonder about that,” Nagisa says, eyebrows drawn together. “Why they congratulated me so much when they had disliked me before. Then I realised - it’s because of how much they dislike people without magic. If I really had ended up having no magic, would they have apologised? Said they felt sorry for me? No, they wouldn’t have even spoken to me. But after meeting you, I don’t think I’d have cared anymore.” Nagisa looks up into Rei’s eyes and smiles, genuinely. “You’ve shown me that it doesn’t matter whether you have Natural magic or not - you can still be amazing. Thank you, Rei-chan.”

Without realising it, Nagisa has begun to glow again, golden light shining from his every pore, floating around them. It’s not overwhelming, but a  magical atmosphere which their conversation has produced. The light makes his eyes brighter, highlights the blond of his hair and the light pink of his lips. He looks beautiful, surrounded by his own light.

Rei melts into a smile. He feels warm inside, his heart calm yet leaping at the sight of Nagisa. Somehow he feels energised by Nagisa’s words. His fingers tingle as he leans forward, magnetised to this light source like a moth to a flame. He feels the urge to take Nagisa’s hand, to show him how much he appreciates Nagisa’s words, because no one has ever called him amazing like this before, no one has ever understood how he feels like this before. He just wants to hold Nagisa, and that scares him.

Instead of doing something he might regret later, he uses his words and hopes they convey his gratitude properly. In a gentle voice, he says, “No, thank you, Nagisa-kun.”

Because how else could he respond to the one who has shown him a new, beautiful light.

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Follow me at [randomactuallywrites-57](http://randomactuallywrites-57.tumblr.com/) on tumblr | [@randomwriter57](http://twitter.com/randomwriter57) on twitter!


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